ProbablyMonsters, a game studio collective headquartered in Bellevue, Wash., recently announced the establishment of a new internal development team called Hidden Grove. Led by general manager Chris Opdahl and design directors Raylene Deck and Grant Mackay, who all previously worked on Bungie’s Destiny 2, the team’s debut project is an original multiplayer competitive adventure game created in Unreal Engine 5. The project has been in development and is only now being revealed to the public.
Joining Opdahl, Deck, and Mackay on the Hidden Grove team are executive producer Lori Ada Kilty, art director Jedd Chevrier, senior engineering director Dean Johnson, and narrative director Kate Welch. Each member of the team brings a wealth of experience from their previous roles at companies such as Xbox Game Studios, Microsoft Hololens, Microsoft, 343 Industries, and Wizards of the Coast. The diverse backgrounds of the team members will likely contribute to the success of Hidden Grove’s upcoming game.
Founded by former Bungie CEO Harold Ryan in 2016, ProbablyMonsters aims to create a family of sustainable game studios through a people-first culture. The company’s role is to manage the business side for its studios while providing support for the growth of each individual studio. ProbablyMonsters underwent a round of layoffs in September, but has continued to expand its reach by hiring Adam Rymer as the new chief product officer. Rymer, a former CEO of e-sports firm OpTic Gaming and president of Nerdist Industries, will report directly to Ryan.
Hidden Grove is the latest ProbablyMonsters team to be publicly announced, joining previously revealed teams such as Battle Barge, working on a cooperative RPG, and Cauldron, which paused development on its first project in June. Firewalk Studios, another ProbablyMonsters team, was acquired by Sony last year, with their debut game Concord being revealed as a PlayStation exclusive. ProbablyMonsters continues to demonstrate its commitment to supporting and growing its studios, while also exploring new collaborations and opportunities within the gaming industry.
Overall, ProbablyMonsters’ establishment of Hidden Grove and the hiring of Adam Rymer as chief product officer showcase the company’s dedication to creating successful game studios with a strong focus on teamwork and collaboration. The Hidden Grove team, comprised of industry veterans with diverse backgrounds, is set to create an original multiplayer competitive adventure game that is sure to capture the attention of gamers worldwide. As ProbablyMonsters continues to evolve and expand its reach in the gaming industry, its commitment to supporting independent studios and fostering a people-first culture remains at the core of its mission.
